Fuel draining apparatus



Aug. 23, 1949. DlGOvE 2,479,614

FUEL DRAINING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1947 U INVENTOR W? wfiez a? D. G072? wwm ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE FUEL DRAIN IN G APPARATUS Application February 28, 1947, Serial No. 731,673

6 Claims.

This invention relates to engine fuel and air intake manifolds and particularly to means for separating the liquid and gaseous components of a fluid passing through the manifold and for draining the separated liquid from the manifold.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an improved liquid separating, collecting and draining means particularly adapted for use on radial aircraft engine intake manifolds.

Another object of importance is to provide simple form of manifold drain Valve which in its normal position is closed and which automatically opens to permit discharge of liquid from the manifold only when the liquid is present in an amount exceeding a predetermined safe limit.

Another object of the invention is to provide an engine induction pipe or manifold having improved means therein for separating liquid fuel from the gaseous fuel-air mixture flowing there through without materially disturbing or interfering with the flow of gas or vapor to the engine cylinders.

A further object is to provide an improved float type fuel drain valve which is not affected by changes in the pressure in the manifold relative to the ambient pressure.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims, and from the accompanying drawing which illustrates what is now considered to be a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the figures of the drawing,

Fig. l is a perspective view of an engine having two of its manifolds provided respectively with liquid separating and draining devices constructed according to the teaching of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of a portion of one of the manifolds shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of the liquid separating and draining portion of the manifold shown in the preceding figures.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the drain valve.

Fig, 1 of the drawing shows a multi-row radial engine of the type disclosed in the Hobbs-Willgoos application, Serial No. 552,372, filed September 1, 1944, and now Patent No. 2,426,879, issued September 2, 1947. The engine is provided with a number of manifolds, each supplying a fuel-air mixture to the four cylinders in each cylinder bank. Particularly during starting of such an engine, liquid fuel may accumulate in excessive quantities within the two lowermost manifolds IE. According to the present invention, this liquid is automatically collected and drained from each manifold by a novel liquid separating and draining apparatus, so designed and located in the manifold as to collect and discharge liquids in the intake fluid without interfering with the fiow of gas and vapor to the engine.

Each manifold Ill includes a relatively straight pipe 9 extending downwardly from one of the two lowermost supercharger outlet ports, one of which is indicated at l. A curved pipe ll having a generally horizontal section l5 and a generally vertical section 14 is connected to the pipe 9, with the section I4 of pipe I l in substantial alignment with the pipe 9. The lower end of pipe 9 has an enlarged portion E2 of greater diameter than the pipe section 54 and within which the upper end of section it projects or telescopes to form an annular chamber i3 therebetween. The two pipes 9 and [I are brazed or welded together at i! and this joint also serves to close and seal the bottom of the annular chamber [3, Enlargement I2 extends slightly beyond the upper end of pipe section M so as to form an annular entrance opening [3 for the chamber l3. On the upper, or upstream, side of this opening the pipe 9 is gradually tapered or faired into enlargement l2 so as to form a smooth walled connecting portion 29 which is effective to lead any liquid flowing along or adjacent to the inner surface of pipe 9 into the liquid trap formed by chamber l3.

The liquid fuel (such as gasoline) is ordinarily introduced into the intake air by a fuel discharge nozzle or fuel spinner (not shown) located immediately ahead or upstream of the supercharger impeller. Practically all of the fuel is vaporized soon after it is sprayed into the airstream. However some fuel may remain unvaporized, in the form of liquid particles, particularly when the engine is cold as on starting. Such liquid particles impinge upon, wet and cling to the inner walls of the intake passages as the fuel-air mixture passes through the supercharger diffuser and into the outlet ports I. This REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Dick Aug. 13, 1872 Good June 12, 1923 Patterson Nov. 20, 923 Edwards Mar. 17, 1925 Hill July 24, 1928 Summers Jan. 1, 1929 Timian May 31, 1932 

